Adjustable rod guide



Dec. 10, 1946. R. P. ENGMAN 2,412,493

ADJUSTABLE RQDVGUIDE Filed May 51, 1944 Ralph F? Engman INVENTOR.

AT TORNEY.

Patented Dec. 10, 1946 ADJUSTABLE ROD GUIDE Ralph P. Engman, Milwaukee, Vtis, assignor to Eclipse Moulded Products Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 31, 1944, Serial No. 538,154

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an adjustable rod guide.

The invention has found particular employment in flush tanks as a guide for the rod actuating the valve utilized to close off the water discharge connection.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a rod guide that is quickly adjustable in length.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable rod guide that can be fabricated at low cost and which will stand up extremely well in service.

According to the invention two complementary resilient prongs project horizontally from a guide bracket and at least one of the prongs is provided with serrations on the inner edge. A rod guide block having serrations complementary to those of the prong is disposed between the prongs, the serrations holding the block securely against longitudinal movement and flanges on the block preventing vertical movement thereof. The resiliency of the prongs permits movement of the block from place to place therebetween to serve as a guide for a rod passing therethrough, at a number of difierent locations.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevation of an adjustable rod guide mounted in a flush tank and showing only a portion of the tank;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a serrated rod guide block;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the guide with the block in one position and showing in dotted lines the normal position of the arms before the block is inserted;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view with the block in another position; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the prongs and block looking from the right in Fig. 4.

The adjustable rod guide illustrated comprises a supporting ring member I to be disposed around the overflow pipe 2, or the like of flush tank 3 and having a strengthening projection 4 extending from one side thereof and a pair of arms or prongs 5 extending from substantially the pposite side thereof.

A set screw 6 may be threaded through projection and ring I to secure the ring to the overflow pipe 2 in any desired position. Projection 4 serves to reinforce the ring by providing additional thickness through which the set screw must pass. Where the parts are made of plastics instead of metal, the projection 4 adds to the length of the threads for receiving the set screw 6, and substantially eliminates danger of stripping of the threads.

The horizontal arms 5 extend complementary to each other outwardly for a substantial distance from ring member I and are preferably formed integrally therewith. The arms are substantially resilient and exert a clamping force when forced apart.

The inside edge of one of arms 5 is provided with serrations l and these serrations are complementary to serrations 8 on rod guide block 9. Arms 4, are forced apart to receive block 9. and when the prongs are permitted to spring back into place the serrations on the prong and block fit together in a complementary manner to prevent any longitudinal movement of the block by interlocking the same with the arm.

If desired, serrations may be provided on opposite sides of block 9 and on the inside edges of both prongs.

Block 9 is generally rectangular in shape and is cut out in the middle portion thereof, as particularly illustrated, in Fig. 2 to provide the flanges ID on either and corresponding to the top and bottom thereof. The material of the body is recessed at H between the flanges l0 and serrations or side faces to avoid any interference with a proper interlock between the block and the prongs 5.

When block 9 is disposed between prongs 5 flanges l0 rest above and below the prongs to prevent vertical movement of the block.

An aperture l2' extends vertically of block 9 from end to end nd the valve rod l3 or the like passes therethrough with the ball valve l4 disposed on the lower end thereof to rest on seat l5 of the discharge connection for flush tank 3. The diameter of aperture I2 must be suflicient to permit free vertical movement of rod 13 therein.

Under one method of assembling the invention in flush tank 3 the supporting ring I is first secured to overflow pipe 2 at the determined heighth with the prongs 5 extending over the center of the outlet valve in the bottom of the tank.

The prongs 5 are then sprung apart from their normal position as illustrated in Fig. 3 and block 9 is inserted therebetween at the vertical location centrally over the valve where it is determined that the vertical valve rod l3 should be disposed. The prongs 5 clamp the block 9 and rod 53 may then be inserted through aperture E2. If for any reason it becomes necessary to move or adjust valve rod l3 laterally, prongs 5 are manually sprung apart and block 0 is moved longitudinally between the prongs to the desired location. The prongs spring back when released to clamp the block 9 securely in place at the new location.

The invention provides a low cost rod guide and a structure that is adjustable longitudinally to hold a valve rod securely at a number of different locations.

In practice it has been found that plastic compositions stand up well in service and provide the resiliency in the prongs that is essential to the invention. It is preferable, therefore, to make both the clamp and the guide block of a molded plastic material.

Although the invention has been illustrated in use in a flush tank it is not so limited as it may well serve to guide other rods or tubes than those employed in flush tanks.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In a plastic rod guide for guiding the valve rod of flush valves and the like having a clamp with parallel supporting members extending therefrom, a guide block clamped by said supporting members between the same and having a hole extending vertically therethrough to receive the valve rod to be guided and having at least one side serrated to interlock with a complementary member of the clamp for adjustably supporting the block in operative position, and a flange at the upper end of the block for supporting the same vertically in the clamp, the material of the block being recessed adjacent the lower side of the flange between the flange and the serrations to avoid interference with the clamping of the same in the support by said supporting members.

2. A rod guide for guiding a floating valve rod having a support to be secured to an overflow pipe, which comprises a pair of integral complementary resilient arms extending horizontally from the support and separated from each other to provide a vertical open slot therebetween, serrations on the inner edge of one of the arms, a rod guide member having a slightly greater thickness than the slot between the arms to be clamped and held in position by said arms when inserted between the same, said guide member having a vertical opening therethrough of slightly greater cross-section than said valve rod to confine said rod and guide the same, serrations on one side of said guide member interlocking with the serrations of the corresponding arm in a vertical direction to provide for adjustment of the guide member to fixed locations along the arms, and horizontal interlocking means extending from said block and engaging at least one of said arms to prevent movement of the guide member in a vertical direction when the same is placed between the arms in service.

3. An adjustable rod guide for guiding a vertical valve rod comprising a support having integral spaced resilient complementary prongs extending horizontally from one side thereof, a rod guide block of generally rectangular shape and a body thickness slightly greater than the space between said prongs and adapted to be clamped by the prongs between the same, said block having a vertical hole therethrough for receiving the valve rod for free vertical movement therethrough, serrations in one side of the body portion of said block complementary to the serrations on said prongs with the resiliency of the prongs and the complementary serrations of the block and prongs providing a plurality of fixed clamping locations for the block and confined rod along substantially the entire length of the prongs, and integral flanges on opposite ends of said block overlapping said prongs to prevent movement of the block in the direction of the rod when the block is placed between the prongs in service.

RALPH P. ENGMAN. 

